50 Dishes by 50: Braised Garlic-and-Thyme Artichokes

Thursday

Feb 24, 2011 at 12:01 AMFeb 24, 2011 at 7:11 PM

Artichokes aren’t cheap, and there is that peculiar way of eating them — breaking off one leaf at a time and drawing the base through your teeth to remove the soft portion. Are they worth all the trouble? Absolutely.

Jennifer Mastroianni

Artichokes are intimidating, and there are plenty of reasons why.

For one, their leaves have a sharp point that can lead to painful pokes. Also, removing the fuzz from the inside choke can seem vexing.

Artichokes aren’t cheap, so the price alone also can be scary. And then there is that peculiar way of eating them — breaking off one leaf at a time and drawing the base through your teeth to remove the soft portion at the bottom.

Are they worth all the trouble? Absolutely. Artichokes leaves, along with their tender hearts and meaty bottoms, have a distinct, earthy flavor all their own. They are delicious, especially when paired with robust flavors like garlic and herbs.

This dish is from “Gourmet Italian Kitchen,” a special edition cookbook/magazine publication from Gourmet magazine, which debuted at bookstores just weeks ago.

I’ve made artichokes before, but I have never braised them in oil and herbs. This is an excellent way to prepare artichokes, and it is very simple. If you’ve never cooked artichokes, read the directions first so you can get a visual. It will make more sense that way, and you will be less apprehensive.

Serve the dish as an appetizer or as a side dish to a rustic Italian dinner entrée, such as roasted chicken, a pasta dish or braised short ribs.

With one artichoke at a time, cut off top inch of artichoke and gently pull leaves open to reveal the center. Deep inside, you will see tender leaves with sharp points revealing a fuzzy choke beneath.

With a melon baller or spoon, scoop out the pointy leaves and scrape the fuzz off the choke. Keeping stem attached (if it’s there), trim bottom 1⁄4-inch off of the stem. Use a knife to peel back entire skin of stem to reveal its inner core. Put artichoke in lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

Remove from water and push three parsley springs into center of each. In a 6- to 8-quart stockpot wide enough to hold artichokes in a single layer (about 11 inches in diameter), heat 1⁄4 cup of olive oil over medium heat until it simmers.

Transfer artichokes, thyme and garlic to a platter. Add remaining 3⁄4 cup water to pot and deglaze pot by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until mixture darkens and thickens a bit.

Pour pan juices into a small bowl and stir in extra virgin olive oil and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Squeeze pulp from 2 garlic cloves into bowl and mash with fork. Blend mixture.

Divide artichokes and garlic cloves among six plates and drizzle with sauce. Garlic cloves can be peeled and spread on crusty bread or placed on a platter with crusty bread.

Note: Trimmed artichokes can be kept chilled in lemon water for 8 hours.

For more about “Gourmet Italian Kitchen,” visit www.condenaststore.com.